INAUGURAL ADDRESS BY

PRESIDENT PAUL KAGAME

| Kigali, 18 August 2017 |

Today is a day of renewal and gratitude.

I would therefore like to begin by thanking those who have joined

us here.

The presence of so many brothers and sisters from around Africa,

Heads of State and former Heads of State, honours our nation
deeply and gives us strength. We thank you.

Africa has been with Rwanda when we needed you most and
nothing gives our people greater pride than contributing, together
with you, to the greatness of our continent.

Standing alongside us today are numerous friends of Rwanda

from around the world who have always kept our country in their
hearts and worked hard to advance it. We welcome you home.

I want to acknowledge the leaders and members of the eight

other political parties who joined with the Rwandan Patriotic
Front to nominate me as their candidate.

For twenty-three years, we have collaborated closely and with

deep mutual respect to repair the social fabric of our devastated
nation and bring us to where we are today.

I also congratulate the two other candidates who brought their

message directly to our citizens. Together we created a positive
environment where no vote was cast against anyone, but rather
all were cast for Rwanda.

If we always succeed in rallying so strongly around the ideas and

the leadership that work best for all of us, it would be a very good
thing.

This approach is not merely a stepping-stone away from our

moment of tragedy. This is who we are. It is our ideal for this
time, and all the time.

I would like to express particular appreciation to all Rwandans

for renewing the trust between us. More importantly, you trusted
yourselves and each other. It is truly a privilege and an honour to
serve you.

Together we have lived a life, which at every turn has been

unexpected, unprecedented, and often shocking. Yet we have
made progress, thanks to the distinctiveness of our choices and
the resilience of our people.

We have worked incredibly hard to rebuild our nation in a spirit

of consensus, while leaving no one behind. In particular, our
women and men have equal rights and opportunities.

Today, Rwanda defines no one as an enemy, whether domestic or

foreign. Every Rwandan has a country, and with every other
country, we seek partnership and cooperation.

Rwandas institutions are founded on the common good, as it

should have been all along. The gains in public services,
individual well-being, and national unity are now undeniably
real.

The enthusiasm and emotion expressed throughout the

campaign is rooted in these realities. Every attempt that was
made, whether from within and especially from outside, to
denigrate the process and glorify the old politics of division, only
made Rwandans more defiant and more determined to express
ourselves through the vote.

All along, we have had to fight to protect our right to do what is

best for us, and we will, without any doubt, continue to do so.

In this regard, Rwanda is not an exception. Every African country

has to contend with efforts to force us to live on someone elses
terms. They demand that we replace systems that are working
well for us with dogmas in which their own people are rapidly
losing faith.

Africa has no civilizational problems, only assets.

Sans aucun doute.

Over centuries of adversity, our civilisation sustained us. Today it

endows us with ambition, compassion, and creativity. Without
exception, there is infinitely more that unites us, as Africans,
than divides us.

It is important for Rwandans and our fellow Africans to feel

reassured that attacks on our character only make us stronger,
provided we respond with clarity and conviction.

Our experience is that we will be vilified anyway, no matter what.

So we might as well do what we know is right for our people,
because the results are much better, and the costs are much
lower.

Those who are worried about our welfare should feel at ease. We
are the best students of our own shortcomings. Much as we have
lost a lot of time, more recently we see that it is no longer
business as usual in Africa.

There is really no justification for all the effort that goes into
cutting Africa off from itself, as if sharing lessons and experiences
with one another might be harmful, without adult supervision.

There is no single model for nation-building. At the root of any

success are good choices, built on a mindset which can be
summarised in three words: Do It Yourself.

That is what we have done in Rwanda, and it is all any country

needs to do to bring everyone together to chart a path into the
future.

To that end, we in Rwanda will continue to be firm believers in

real partnership and cooperation with friends around the world,
which has benefited us a great deal and which we deeply
appreciate.

During the campaign, there was a Gospel song that an ordinary

Rwandan adapted. It captured the joy of being together after
having survived so much.

It goes on to say: When we are fighting for a just cause, there is

no reason to fear anything whatsoever, because God is always on
our side. This speaks to all of us in Africa.
Translating he song into English, it is called There Is No Fight
That Scares Me.

As Africans, as brothers and sisters, let us work together more

closely. The governance and prosperity of Africa cannot be
outsourced.

Lets build on the reform spirit that has taken root in the African
Union, and indeed in every African country, to quickly deliver the
results that our people expect and have been waiting for.

Africa is on the right path and we are going to do just fine.

The next seven years will be very important for our country.

Our priority is to deepen the moral pact with all the young
women and men who voted for the first time, and with such
passion.

Everyone saw how they took the lead during the campaign, and
actually made it flawless. I want us to recognise you for that.

The ambition of these young men and women is remarkable. We

see your determination to work hard, achieve a lot, and become
the pride of your families, as well as an asset to the entire nation.

We must ensure that Rwandans have high-quality education that

fully equips us to compete in the services and industries of the
future.

The role of our private sector is absolutely central. The Rwandan

entrepreneurs and business leaders, who started from zero, have
transformed our country for the better and laid a solid
foundation. We thank you, and also ask you to please do even
more.

Government will do its part to increase regional and continental

integration and promote the free movement of Africans, while
investing in strategic infrastructure and technology.

Rwandas prosperity and security, after all, depends on the

security and prosperity of all our neighbours, and beyond.
Our commitment to the future must be sealed with a mindset of
ownership, responsibility, and problem-solving.

All the inspiration we need is right here in Africa. There is

exceptional leadership and ingenuity amongst us, everywhere,
only that we have been accustomed not to recognise it as such.

Choosing to see the value in each other is a precious gift, which

anchors us firmly and confidently in our rightful place in
this world.

Lets ensure that those who struggled and perished to build this
new Rwanda, and to liberate Africa, did not sacrifice in vain.

PAUL KAGAME | Kigali, 18 August 2017